We interviewed Simon Shtipelman, a System Administrator at MindPoint Group. In this blog, you’ll hear about his background and experience in technology, and how he is always looking to improve internal systems and processes to further MindPoint Group’s mission.
Walk us through your background. How did you get started with working in technology/security?
It’s funny because I always thought I wanted to be a doctor because I come from a family of doctors. After working in a doctor’s office, I decided that I didn’t really like that and couldn’t see myself going that route. I had always loved to tinker with computers, so I went down that route and have not looked back.
I started my career by working for a large Telco company, then went to an MSP. After that, I found MindPoint Group and have worked here ever since. Working for an MSP gave me a connection into the security industry because working in this role, we did the whole gamut. We even helped banks and healthcare organizations with their audits, so I was able to start seeing that side of security, and I knew it was something that I really liked.
Describe your current role, and walk us through the typical day?
I pretty much handle all of our internal IT. This can include all internal systems and even the laptops that employees use for their work. I also work really closely with vendors for licensing and new solutions that MindPoint Group could potentially use.
While each day looks different for me, I start each day by looking at new requests in our ticketing systems and making sure that I am up to date on everything. The day is filled with handling any new questions and requests while also working on new projects and new software implementation. When there is a new hire orientation, I also help configure the new laptops and educate new employees on our systems and best practices.
What are the biggest challenges you face in a day?
My biggest challenge is just making sure that everything is running smoothly. If things are not running smoothly, it impacts a large number of people, so it is important to quickly remediate those situations. If I don’t hear from people, I usually take that as a good sign.
What is your favorite part of your job?
When everything is working — haha! I also really enjoy being behind the scenes and make sure that everything is running smoothly. It’s fun to evaluate our existing technology stack and evaluate new tools that increase productivity and at the end of the day, help our employees.
Why do you love cybersecurity?
I love cybersecurity because it is so prevalent and truly touches everything we do at MPG. Up until a few years ago, people never really thought about security. It was needed, but not top of mind for most people. Nowadays, that is not the case, and security is a top priority for most organizations.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work, I’m super into the outdoors! I am big into off-roading, hiking, and camping. As I mentioned earlier, I have always loved tinkering with computers so I do some of that and some gaming in my free time.
What is your favorite part of MindPoint Group?
Hands down, my favorite part of MindPoint Group is the people that work here. Everyone is really nice, welcoming, and inclusive. Aside from that, I love that the company offers great benefits for continued education for employees to learn and grow.
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